Chips of which trees are better to choose for homemade tinctures: I share my top 4

As an experienced moonshiner, I managed to try all the types of wood chips available in our latitudes for my tinctures. Over time, I came to the conclusion that the character, bouquet and softness of the future tincture very much depends on the choice of this ingredient.

Some types of wood chips give an amazing deep flavor, but create the effect of a “skirting” when the infusion begins to taste bitter if it is even a little overexposed. Others, on the contrary, do not make loud promises, but make the tincture soft and fragrant. In general, for myself, I have identified the 4 best types of wood chips and now I will talk about each of them.

The story was sent by blog subscriber Yuri.

4th place – rowan

An extremely underrated type of wood chips for making alcohol! It adds a beautiful amber color with a ruby ​​tint to any infusion, looks incredibly harmonious in a glass.

It is not necessary to infuse rowan chips for a long time, the tree is quite flexible and very quickly brings the tincture to the desired concentration. The aroma is woody and berry, tart, it may even seem heavy to some.

However, this does not affect the taste of the tincture. It is drunk quite softly, in the aftertaste there is a slight bitterness of mountain ash. If you have rowan distillate tuned to the right wood chips, then you can get real brandy!

In a word, I respect mountain ash very much, but I put it only in 4th place, since it has a very specific taste, one might say, for an amateur.

Rowan wood chips are hard to find, so they are more expensive than other types of moonshine chips. The price for 100 g varies from 120 to 170 rubles, depending on the degree of roasting and the manufacturer.

3rd place – apple

This is probably the second most popular type of moonshine chips. You can easily make it yourself or buy it, fortunately, it is widespread.

Why do I love apple chips? Yes, because you can make any tincture from an apple tree and it doesn’t matter if other ingredients are present in it or not.

If you insist the wood chips separately, you can watch how the distillate turns almost into apple juice, and even with the complete absence of sugar or honey, “sugar legs” begin to form. This suggests that apple wood itself is saturated not only with vitamins and minerals, but also with sugar.

You can’t confuse the apple-tree aroma with anything, fragrant and at the same time not very tart, you can hear light notes of dried fruits.

Apple chips are widely distributed, so they are inexpensive, from 70 to 120 rubles per 100 g, depending on the manufacturer and the degree of roasting.

2nd place – oak

Oh oak! – the king of all skates! Not a single, even the most intricate cognac recipe is complete without oak chips or oak bark. For only oak has such a recognizable, “correct” woody aroma, and thus gives the drink that very “cognac” color.

It is very easy to infuse oak, and drinking such a tincture is even easier, since oak completely knocks down the initial bitterness of the distillate, and brings its own bitterness, but this bitterness is delicate, with a twist.

In a word, oak chips would be my favorite on this list if my moonshine heart had not been given to one Countess.

Classic homemade cognac.

Oak chips are the most popular component of tinctures, the price varies from 60 to 130 rubles per 100 g.

1st place – Countess “Cherry”

My best tinctures, the most amazing flavor combinations, the most admiring faces of tasters were obtained thanks to cherry chips.

1. Firstly, it is extremely rarely bitter, even if it is overexposed! A very delicate person, that cherry chip.
2. Secondly, what a beautiful, noble ruby ​​​​color the tincture acquires.
3. Thirdly, an unobtrusive, rich aroma with a characteristic sourness. Cherry itself, as such, is not felt, but some mixture of smoked wood and berries. Tart, but at the same time soft, with a characteristic sweetness.
4. Fourth, rich and rich taste. The tincture is not like cherry compote or jam, as many might think, but rather like a good wine.

Cherry chips get along well with any ingredients, but at the same time they always hold their positions in the overall bouquet.

Cherry costs a little more than other types of moonshine chips, from 130 rubles per 100 g, but believe me, it’s worth it!

What types of chips do you like? Share your experience and recipes!